Ship-ladder.



PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

P. BRAGBGIRDLE. SHIP LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.12. 1994.

2 SEEETS8HEET 1.

INVENTOR Pfizlz 'o Bra ceyir'dle A Tram/Us WITNESSES P. BRAGEGIRDLE.

SHIP LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1904.

I TNESSES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

P3279? Bra ceyz rdZe A TTORNEYS.

Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFF CE.

PHILIP BRACEGIRDLE, OF SOUTHVIGK, ENGLAND.

SHlP-LADDEFi.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,832, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed November 12, 1904:- Serial No. 232,394.

To all, whom, it 1nrty concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP BRAGEGIRDLE, a subject of the Kingof Great Britain, residing at Southwick, county of SusseX,E ngland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ship-Ladders, of which the following is a specification, such as Will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved ship-ladder which is so constructed and operated as to be conveniently lowered into position for use whenever desired and which may be raised when not in use and folded compactly against the outer side of the railing or bulwark at the side of the ship.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure l is a side view of one side of the hull of a ship provided with my improved ladder and showing the latter lowered in position for use; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof; Fig. 3, a side view showing the ladder folded against the railing or bulwark of the ship; Fig. t, a plan view thereof; Fig. 5, a perspective view of a part of the ladder in position for use; Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a part only of the construction and showing a modification; and Fig. 7, a rear end view thereof and showing only a part of the construction shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings forming part of this specilicationl have shown at a a part of a hull of a vessel and at (1 a part of the railing orbulwark thereof which forms a guard around the hull of the vessel, and this railing or bulwark is provided at (L3 with an opening through which parties desiring to use the ladder pass. The ladder proper comprises a platform-step 7/, bottom rails or bars 0, and top rails or bars (Z, together with the usual steps 6 hinged to the top or front portions of the rails or bars 0, as shown at 0 and pivoted between the rails or bars (Z, as shown at a.

The bottom rails or bars 0 are pivoted or hinged to the opposite sides of the platformstep Z), centrally thereof, as shown at 0 and the bars or rails (Z are pivoted or hinged to the opposite sides of the front portion of the platform-step I), as shown at (Z The platform-step b is hinged to the side of the hull of the vessel, as shown at V, and is adapted to be folded vertically, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or held in a horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and pivoted to the hull abelow the platform-step in the form of construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and a is an arm 7) provided at its free end with a crosshead 5* movable in a slotted plate If, secured to the bottom of the platform-step l), and this arm 7/" holds the platform-step 7) in a horizontal position and permits of its being folded upwardly, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Pivoted to the outer side of the platformstep 7), at the front and back ends thereof, are uprights f and f connected .at their upper ends by a guard-rail f", pivoted or hinged thereto, and hinged to the rear end of the guard-rail f or to the top of the upright f is another guard-rail, f*, which is adapted to swing forwardly parallel with the guard-rail f and adjacent thereto or into the position shown in Fig. 2, where it may be connected with the railing or bulwark a atf in any desired manner.

Pivoted or hinged to the upper end of the upright f is a guard-rail which when the ladder is in position for use, as shownin Fig. 1, extends parallel with and above the outer rail or bar (Z, and connected therewith near the lower end thereof isa member g which is loosely connected with or pivoted to the outer bar or rail (Z at The platform-step b at the top of the ladder is about twice the width forwardly and backwardly of the intermediate steps (1, and the bottom step e" is also about twice the width of the intermediate steps or of about the same dimensions as the platform-step b, and the lower ends of the rails or bars 0 are projected, as shown at 0 and connected therewith are cords or cables it, which are passed through keepers 71?, secured to the bottom of the lower step a and connected with a hook //f of a block it", which forms a part of a hoisting apparatus connected with a davit or crane By extending the bottom step e and connecting the cords or cables with the lower extended ends a of the bars or rails 0, the folding of the ladder and the raising thereof is facilitated, it being understood'that the hoisting apparatus is operated in the usual manner for this purpose, and as the ladder is raised by the hoisting apparatus the guard rail or bar 0 drops downwardly and forwardly, the upright membersf f and also drop downwardly and forwardly, and the guard-rails f and 9 move forwardly, and the ladder is raised into a parallel position, and when in this position it is folded upwardly snugly against the outer side of the guard-rail or bulwark (6 as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the hinges at b permitting of this operation.

It will be understood that before raising and folding the ladder as above described the guard-rail f is first folded adjacent to the guard-rail f and these guard-rails and the upright membersf and f form a cage 01' box which ineloses the platform-step Z) of the ladder when the ladder is in position for use, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a slight modification of the arm 5" and its connection with the platform-step b, and in this modification a \I-shaped device i is pivoted or hinged to the bottom outer portion of the platform-step b, as shown at and the apex or point thereof is provided with a ring or coil 2'", and an arm is pivoted to the hull a at j and passed through the ring or coil 71 and the operation of this form of construction in the folding and lowering of the ladder or in the lowering and folding of the ladder will be the same as that of the arm 7/ and slotted plate If in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and L.

By means of this improvement I provide a ladder for ships all the parts of which, including the cage at the upper end thereof, when the ladder is in position for use are so formed and connected that the said ladder may be conveniently lowered into position for use whenever necessary and is conveniently raised and folded adjacent to the top railing, guard, or bulwark of the ship when the ladder is not desired for use, and the ladder is secured in the last-named position by a lock-pin k, which is passed through keepers Z5 above and below the bottom step 0 when the ladder is folded in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and which operates in connection with the bottom step a to hold the ladder in said position.

Having fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A ships ladder, comprising a platformstep hinged to the hull of the ship and adapted to fold in a vertical plane, means for holding the platform-step in a horizontal position, bottom rails pivoted'to the opposite sides of the platform-step centrally thereof, top rails pivoted to the opposite sides of the platform-step at the front edge thereof, a bottom step pivoted to the bottom rails and between the top rails and projecting beyond the top rails, intermediate steps pivoted to the bottom rails and between the top rails, the lower ends of the bottom rails being also projected beyond the bottom step, cables con nected with the lower ends of said rails and passed through keepers on the bottom step and adapted to be'connected' with a hoisting apparatus, supporting members pivoted to the outer side of the platform-step and to the bottom portion of the outer top rail of the ladder and adapted to be held in an upright position when the latter is lowered into position for use and guard-rails pivotally connected with the said supporting members and adapted to form a cage around the platformstep and a guard for the ladder when the said ladder is lowered into position for use, substantially as shown and described.

2. A ships ladder adapted to be folded adjacent to the hull of the vessel, comprising a platform-step hinged to, the hull of the vessel and adapted to be folded in a vertical position and means whereby it may be held in a horizontal position, bottom bars pivoted to the opposite sides of said step centrally thereof, top bars pivoted to the opposite sides of said step near the front edge thereof, a bottom step pivoted to the bottom bars and between the top bars and projecting beyond the top bars, intermediate steps pivoted to the bottom bars and between the top bars, the lower ends of the bottom bars being also projected below the bottom step, flexible hoisting devices connected with the lower ends of said bars, and passed through keepers connected with the bottom of the bottom step and connected with a hoisting apparatus, the platform-step and the outer top bars of the ladder being provided with guard devices which are held in an upright position when the ladder is lowered for use and which are folded adjacent thereto when the ladder is raised and folded adjacent to the hull of the vessel or the guardrailing thereof, substantially as shown and described.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 15th day of October, 1904.

PHILIP BRACEGIRDLE.

IIO 

